D3 Preview: Buell, Dundee Eye More Historic Opportunities
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 1, 2021
Dundee tied the MHSAA Individual Finals record with seven champions a year ago. Earlier this week, the Vikings won their fourth-straight Division 3 team championship, tying a program record for consecutive titles.
For a few reasons, this weekend could be just as memorable – or more so – than both.
Dundee will come back Friday to Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo for the Individual Wrestling Finals with six returning champions and eight carrying the top seeds in their respective classes – led by senior Stony Buell, who will attempt to become the 29th four-time individual champion in MHSAA Finals history.
Below we look at Buell and nine more contenders to watch, plus list all of the top seeds heading into the tournament, champs and runners-up back from 2020 and every wrestler who will make the trip to Kalamazoo with an undefeated record.
Even then, we surely missed a few who will end up making headlines Saturday – but make sure to come back to Second Half late that evening as we’ll interview and report on all 14 Division 3 champions.
Wrestling begins Friday at 10 a.m., and this season it’s a one-day event. Spectators remain limited, but all matches will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv. See the MHSAA Wrestling Finals page for more information and to follow results this weekend.
112 Braeden Davis, Dundee sophomore (23-0) – He opened his Individual Finals career with last season’s championship at 103 and is the top seed this weekend at this weight.
130 Jake Elasivich, Montrose senior (11-3) – He’s the top seed at this weight and was the 119-pound champion as a sophomore and third-place finisher at 103 as a freshman.
130 Ryker Johnecheck, Williamston junior (23-0) – He enters as the second seed at this weight but hasn’t lost a match since claiming last season’s championship at 125.
140 Max Brown, Whitehall junior (32-1) – The second seed at this weight couldn’t be left off this list after earning a win at Team Finals over Dundee top-seed Austin Fietz (see below); Brown was third at 130 last season and fourth at 125 as a freshman.
140 Austin Fietz, Dundee senior (20-3) – He’s the top seed at this weight and seeking a second-straight championship after winning 130 a year ago and previously finishing fourth at 103 as a freshman and fifth at 112 as a sophomore.
145 Dametrius Castillo, Alma senior (10-3) – He’s the second seed at this weight but also a past champion having won 119 as a freshman before taking eighth at that weight as a sophomore and then coming in runner-up at 135 last year.
145 Casey Swiderski, Dundee junior (24-0) – He’s top-seeded at this weight and seeking his third Finals championships after winning 103 as a freshman and 135 as a sophomore; he enters the weekend with a combined 109-3 career record.
160 Tyler Swiderski, Dundee senior (23-1) – After finishing second at 112 and 135 his first two seasons, respectively, Swiderski broke through with the 145 title last winter and enters this weekend the top seed at this weight.
171 Dominick Lomazzo, Dundee senior (19-3) – Lomazzo is seeking to cap his high school career as a repeat champion as well after winning 152 as a junior and is seeded first at this weight; he also finished third in Division 1 at 125 as a freshman wrestling for Detroit Catholic Central.
189 Stoney Buell, Dundee senior (23-0) – The future Purdue wrestler also is a top seed and looking to add to his previous titles won at 135 as a freshman, 152 as a sophomore and 160 last winter.
Other 2020 runners-up: 112 Dallas Stanton, Almont junior (19-3, 103 in 2020); 119 Hunter Keller, Richmond senior (11-2, 112 in 2020); 130 Brock Holek, Durand senior (22-3, 130 in 2020); 135 Aiden Davis, Dundee sophomore (23-1, 125 in 2020); 171 Randy Pyrzewski Gladwin junior (24-1, 160 in 2020); 145 Mason Cantu, Hart junior (30-3, 135 in Division 4 in 2020).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 Emmet Kettel, Richmond senior (11-2); 119 Kaden Chinavare, Dundee sophomore (20-0); 125 Aidan Bernard, Montrose junior (15-1); 135 Aiden Davis, Dundee sophomore (23-1); 152 Nick Dodman, Sanford Meridian senior (27-5); 215 Ira Jenkins, Whitehall junior (34-0); 285 Wyatt Bailey, Dowagiac senior (24-0).
Also undefeated: 103 Drew Hansen, Gladstone freshman (29-0); 103 Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie freshman (21-0); 112 Lee Braun, Grand Rapids Catholic Central freshman (21-0); 112 Gavyn Merchant, Kingsley freshman (25-0); 125 Caleb Cline, Shepherd senior (25-0); 135 Jack Sherman, Millington senior (25-0); 140 Sampson Ross, Benzie Center senior (19-0); 145 Mathew Dwyer, Almont junior (21-0); 160 Connor Owens, Flint Powers Catholic sophomore (21-0); 171 Konner Roche, Frankenmuth senior (19-0); 285 Colby Roosa, Remus Chippewa Hills senior (27-0); 285 Dan McKiernan, Richmond senior (12-0).
PHOTO: Dundee's Stony Buell has his hand raised in victory after earning his third Individual Finals championship last year at Ford Field. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
D1 Preview: Heavy-Duty Contenders
March 2, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Often, the most intriguing bouts heading into a weekend of wrestling at The Palace of Auburn Hills are scheduled somewhere in the middle weights.
But this weekend, arguably the best matchup could come in a rematch among the heaviest competitors in Division 1.
Keep an eye out for returning finalists Dan Perry of Lapeer and Ali Wahab of Dearborn Heights Crestwood locking up again at 285 pounds after Perry won 3-2 in last season's championship match to finish undefeated and hand Wahab his only loss of 2014-15.
They are two of 10 contenders we’ve broken out below among many to watch this weekend at the Division 1 Individual Finals. Follow all the matches beginning with Thursday's first round on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.TV, and click here for results at MHSAA.com. And come back to Second Half this weekend as we’ll interview all 14 title winners.
112: Max Johnson, Davison senior (27-0) – The champion at this weight in 2014 slid to fifth last season, but he’s coming off helping Davison to the team runner-up finish last weekend and is considered the favorite again.
112: Mike Mars, Westland John Glenn sophomore (48-2) – Last season’s champion at 103 pounds has lost to only Warren Woods Tower’s Elijuh Weaver, who Mars beat in last season’s Final, and another favorite at this weight in New Baltimore Anchor Bay’s Jack Medley.
119: AJ Facundo, Davison sophomore (28-9) – Last season’s champion at 112 might have a few more losses than other contenders, but he was one of the few to win all three of his matches at last weekend’s Team Final and beat an equally-impressive field to emerge a year ago.
135: Ben Freeman, Walled Lake Central junior (38-0) – Last season’s champion at 125 has only one high school loss, which came when he was a freshman and still went on to win the Division 1 title at 103.
140: Dylan Steward, Grand Ledge senior (45-1) – Steward won the Division 1 championship at this weight last season despite a loss at his Regional, and his loss this season came in December to another reigning champion, Dresden Simon of Dansville.
145: Nathan Atienza, Livonia Franklin junior (53-0) – Atienza may have surprised only a bit last season reaching the 140 Final with four losses, but he’s the top seed and favorite this time around.
160: Blake Montrie, Temperance Bedford senior (47-1) – After winning the championship at 152 last season, in overtime, Montrie has again lost only once, to Dundee’s Sean Sterling in December.
215: Luke Ready, Brighton senior (37-1) – The reigning champion at this weight is also, predictably, the top seed this time and is the only competitor at his weight with fewer than three losses.
285: Dan Perry, Lapeer senior (50-2) – As noted above, Perry won one of the most exciting matches of the 2015 Finals and can expect something similar in his final high school match before continuing at University of Michigan next season.
285 – Ali Wahab, Dearborn Heights Crestwood senior (57-0) – He fell to Perry in last season’s Final only 3-2, and it was his only loss of the season; Wahab can finish with a little revenge on his way to continuing his career at Old Dominion.
Other 2015 runners-up: Southgate Anderson junior Donte Rivera-Garcia (125, 51-2, 112 in 2015), Bay City Western junior Noah Schoenherr (130, 45-2, D2 119 in 2015), Dearborn Fordson senior Abe Ajami (140, 38-3, 130 in 2015), Kalamazoo Loy Norrix senior Nick May (189, 47-0, 189 in 2015).
Also undefeated: Ann Arbor Pioneer junior Rayvon Foley (103, 54-0), Bloomfield Hills senior Kajuan Caldwell (145, 23-0), Utica Eisenhower senior Owen Donovan (145, 45-0), Hartland senior Sage Castillo (152, 55-0).
More of note: Detroit Catholic Central freshman Kevon Davenport (119, 43-3), Monroe senior Carl Antrassian (119, 52-2), Davison senior Deven Perez (125, 35-6), Oxford senior Alex Hrisopoulos (140, 46-5), Holt junior Kolin Leyrer (152, 38-3), Lapeer senior Devon Pingel (171, 47-3), Davison junior Brenden McRill (189, 34-2).
The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard.
PHOTO: Lapeer’s Dan Perry and Crestwood’s Ali Wahab compete during last season’s Final at 285; they’re the favorites again this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)